


Day Off

by stellar_dust



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-08-02
Updated: 2008-08-02
Packaged: 2017-10-05 20:41:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellar_dust/pseuds/stellar_dust
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor takes a day off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Day Off

**Author's Note:**

> References the 4th Doctor story "Androids of Tara."

"Fishing," said Martha. "You're going fishing."

"Oh yes!" the Doctor replied. "I've just saved the world. Also, every 400 years and twelve parsecs, I get a day off. Look it up, it's in the -- oh never mind, anyway, are you coming?"

"All right then," Martha answered. "Just let me get my swimsuit."

**

An hour later Martha came splashing up to the shore, dripping wet. She spread out the Superman towel Leo had given her and plopped down next to the Doctor.

He grinned at her and waggled his rod in the water. The ripples expanded out to the shore, sparkling in the sun.

"I swam across, twice. And dived to the bottom," Martha said. "There are no fish in this lake, are there."

"Huh," the Doctor cocked his head to the side, wrinkling his nose. "You know, you could be right. Might be no fish on this _world_, even."

"Doctor! You didn't check? On the scanners?"

"No, why should I? I've fished here before. Anyway it's called 'fishing', not 'catching'."

"Before! Didn't catch much that time, then?"

"Well, that wasn't a fair trial - not 15 minutes later I got abducted. By androids. Well, not androids, more like princes really. Well, more like wannabe princes. With androids. Never did get my rod back, either, come to think of it. Oh, and it was a thousand years ago, did I mention that?"

"... You're something, you know that?"

"So I've been told." The Doctor propped his rod up in a mound of sand and scooted back against a large, comfy rock. "Bit bright out - wish I had a hat. Did have, last time." He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

After a moment, Martha reached out for the rod. "If you're napping, then, mind if I have a go?"

The Doctor opened one eye and peered at her. "By all means. You fish much, then?"

"Once or twice, on holiday. I was rubbish at it. Better than Tish, though."

"Reckon you were." The Doctor regarded her approvingly as Martha stood and began to reel in the line.

When she reached the end, she held up the empty hook and shot him an amused glance. "No bait, either?"

He blinked and grinned back. "Cruelty to animals! Fishing-not-catching, remember?"

"Then why -?"

"Well, without the line I'd be sitting-by-a-lake-doing-nothing, and that doesn't sound nearly so important and manly, does it?"

"Oh, I dunno." Martha put down the rod without casting and sat again, pulling her knees up to her chin and gazing out across the water. "Sounds pretty good to me."

Later they ate a picnic lunch from the TARDIS and skipped rocks - Martha got three hops, the Doctor managed ten.

As the sun set, they had a splashing contest, and the Doctor ruined his best jacket.

He didn't mind.


End file.
